How Arsenal became synonymous with black identity

When Dr Clive Chijioke Nwonka walked into a pub in Manchester to meet up with friends on 28 September 2002, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

But he was about to watch a moment of footballing and cultural history.

That day Arsenal became the first club to name nine black players in a Premier League starting XI.

Three of that contingent - Thierry Henry, Nwankwo Kanu and Kolo Toure - were on the scoresheet as the Gunners won 4-1 away against Leeds United.

“Their performance heightened the impact of this moment of historical and racial significance," Dr Nwonka, now a professor at University College London, told BBC Africa.

"It showed that their presence was justified based on their success."

Dr Nwonka has explored the club's contribution to black cultural history as a co-editor of the recently-published book Black Arsenal, which includes testimonies and photography from those who have felt a connection with the north London side.

“I'm a British Nigerian and seeing black players and African players represented in British football is important to me,” he said.

Sections of the book analyse Arsenal’s contribution to the influx of black players in the Premier League and the growing attendance of black female fans at the club's Emirates Stadium.

“I always felt that there was something quite important, under-explored, about the ways in which black people found a connection to Arsenal,” said Dr Nwonka.

For die-hard fans the support for their club can permeate almost every aspect of their daily lives, and this commitment is reflected in the book.

“When I say Arsenal, I mean the culture of how important Arsenal is to black people," Dr Nwonka added.

"Not the bricks and mortar of a club, but the ways in which we find Arsenal to be referenced in spaces of black cultural density - be it our workplaces, barbershops and churches."

Ian Wright was the poster boy for many black Arsenal fans growing up in the 1990s, with his gold tooth, charismatic persona and hunger for goals.

Not many Gunners supporters will disagree with his photo being on the cover of Black Arsenal but, for Dr Nwonka and other Nigerians, there was another significant player.

They remember the Nigeria team that beat Argentina to win the Olympic gold medal in 1996, and in particular the man who scored the decisive goal in the semi-final win over Brazil - Kanu.

Born in Imo State, the striker joined Arsenal from Italian giants Inter Milan in 1999.

“Him coming to Arsenal was [of] particular cultural importance for me and people like me,” said Dr Nwonka.

Arsene Wenger, the then-manager of Arsenal, was well known for buying French and African players, and nurtured some of the continent's biggest names during his 22 years in charge from 1996 to 2018.

When enduring a poor run of form, critics in British tabloid newspapers would say he should sign more established players and those better suited to English culture.

But the Frenchman gained huge respect for his model of management when Arsenal won the title in 2003-04.

That triumph was enhanced by the fact that Wenger's side did not lose a single game - an achievement that has yet to be repeated.

That team, dubbed the Invincibles, included Ivory Coast defender Toure and Cameroon right-back Lauren, along with Kanu.

“It’s one thing to have African players who are doing well and are entertaining, but winning makes a difference," said Dr Nwonka.

This model of success is why some ‘new school’ African football fans support Arsenal’s London rivals Chelsea, whose dominance of the English game under Jose Mourinho featured icons such as Ivorian Didier Drogba, Ghana’s Michael Essien and the Nigerian John Obi Mikel.

Despite the stunning success of black footballers, racism remains a pervasive issue on the pitch and beyond.

In 2021, following their Euro 2020 final defeat by Italy, three England players - Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford - faced a racist backlash online after missing penalties in the shootout.

Eleven people were arrested, and Arsenal released a statement in support of Saka and his Three Lions team-mates.

“This cannot continue, and the social media platforms and authorities must act to ensure this disgusting abuse to which our players are subjected on a daily basis stops now," it said.

However, Saka has since received more abuse, including after a loss against Nottingham Forest last year.

Racism remains the most reported form of discrimination across all levels of English football this season, according to statistics gathered by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out.

Ethnic minority players are often instantaneously targeted by online trolls and denied a sense of belonging to the nation - even if they were born and raised in the country they represent.

Dr Nwonka thinks racial prejudice is also reinforced by the language used to describe black players, which he finds “heavily racialised, reductive, negative and ignorant”.

His observation echoes recent findings from two Dutch universities on racialised discourses about black and white athletes.

“White [athletes] are often socially constructed as intellectually superior and hardworking, while black athletes are associated with physical strength and a biological predisposition to excel in sport because of their physique,” said the study from Utrecht University and Rotterdam's Erasmus University.

Although generations of players actively pushed back against old stereotypes and racist narratives, Dr Nwonka believes a sense of respect and appreciation is “long overdue”.

This season Arsenal have celebrated their African heritage and connection with the continent with their away kit, with its colour scheme matching the pan-African flag.

Sierra Leone-born Foday Dumbuya designed the jersey and its official trailer was filmed in the country's capital Freetown.

“It was nice to take it back to where I’m from, to look at the way kids connect with football, the way people look at football back in Africa, because football is life,” Dumbuya said.

As someone who was brought up in London, Dr Nwonka describes an Arsenal shirt as “the uniform” of the city.

He feels a similar trend is mirrored on the African continent.

Saka, born in London to Nigerian parents, is worshipped by Arsenal fans as a 'starboy' - a slang term for a young male celebrity - and was a big part of the launch of the new away kit and its associated clothing collection.

The 23-year-old has clocked up over 230 appearances for the Gunners and has been vocal about fighting racism and cultural insensitivity in the game.

“He transcends his race in many ways. He has a cross-cultural appeal being British and Nigerian," said Dr Nwonka.

As such, the baby-faced winger has cemented himself as a Premier League and international regular, and is an inspiration for the next generation of footballers and supporters regardless of their background.

He is the latest in Arsenal's growing history of black icons.